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The Blog for Friday, March 08, 2013

Clinton way ahead of Rubio among Latino voters

"Hillary Clinton holds a dominant lead among Latino voters with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in a head to head matchup for president, according to a new national poll that could impact a fierce debate within the GOP over immigration."

The survey, conducted by Quinnipiac University, tested a variety of possible 2016 pairings with 1,944 registered voters and had a margin of error of +/-2.2 percent. Clinton lead Rubio by a 50-34 margin, including 60-24 among Latino voters. Rubio performed worse than Chris Christie overall, who trailed Clinton 45-37 nationally, and only slightly better with Latinos, where Christie was down 62-23.

Adam Smith writes that "maybe, after all the gushing about his policy chops, strong executive record and ability to broaden the appeal of conservative Republicans [by the obsequious media], Jeb Bush isn't ready for the national stage."

Certainly anyone watching the clumsy kickoff of his book tour this week — where he pushed the 2016 presidential door wide open — had to acknowledge that his political skills are a bit rusty six years after leaving Florida's Governor's Mansion. . . .

A series of national interviews this week made Bush look like a cross between Mitt Romney — flip-flopper — and Rick Perry — having to walk back what he wrote in his own book.

"Jeb Bush watchers had been amazed and scratching their heads last week when Jeb came forward and placed himself squarely on the right of the immigration reform debate, outlining a flat no to a so-called ‘path to citizenship’."

Was he cleverly outmaneuvering the likes of Marco Rubio? Was this an ingenius bid to stomp into the 2016 presidential race? None of it seemed to make sense since Bush is or was a pro-immigration reform guy from a pro-reform political dynasty.

By the end of this week though it was looking like he was just off his game or even more comically that his book had simply gone to press while being an immigration hardliner was still good politics.

The Tampa Bay Times editors: "It was designed to be a symbolic gesture of significant proportions. On the first day of the 2013 session Tuesday, the Florida House overwhelmingly approved a mea culpa bill aimed at correcting the legislative-created dysfunction of the 2012 election. Despite its good intentions, the House legislation falls short of the cure-all Republican leaders claim — particularly when it comes to early voting. "

Florida's election issues in November can be tied directly to the 2011 Legislature. Dramatically shortened early voting opportunities combined with a ballot the Legislature crammed full of lengthy constitutional amendments led to extraordinary lines at the polls on Election Day. In parts of Miami-Dade County, some ballots weren't cast until after midnight. Then it took days for county elections officials to process the record number of absentee ballots that were cast.

"The scheme is a recipe for inconsistent access to the polls and flies in the face of the state's arguments as it defended the 2011 law that reduced early voting and drew objections from the U.S. Justice Department as it applied to five counties — including Hills-borough — with a history of discrimination."

House Republicans said all the right things this week about learning from the 2012 election. But actions speak louder than words

Jebbie is scrambling to explain his monumental flip-floppery: "Jeb Bush (R), who caused controversy this week when he came out against a pathway to citizenship despite previously supporting one, pointed out in his defense that he didn't anticipate others, such as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), would make the switch in the opposite direction." "Jeb Bush : Marco Rubio 'Wasn't For' Path To Citizenship When Book Was Written".

Even the wingers at the Daily Caller are in a dither: "Jeb Bush continues to amaze and confuse. Not only is it weird that he flip-flopped on immigration himself, but now he’s spinning excuses — and seeking to undermine other Republicans, such as Sen. Marco Rubio."

The Palm Beach Post editors: "The Florida Senate made a big show this week of passing an ethics reform bill that Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville said is long overdue. He’s right, but missing is a requirement that legislators legislate in the sunshine."

As it stands, senators and representatives can amend bills without leaving a fingerprint. There’s no way to tell who is responsible, and thus no one to hold accountable.

Scott Maxwell: "Last year, Florida agreed to give up to $430,000 in incentives to a company that promised to bring 300 jobs to South Florida."

Last month, that same company filed for bankruptcy.

Oh, and as it turns out, the chairman of the company was a convicted cocaine trafficker. . . .

This, my friends, is what passes for economic-development in our state: hoping the convicted drug guy who lied on his incentives application left behind a team capable of bringing the company out of bankruptcy.

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "It is a common refrain among conservative politicians that government should be managed like a business. But sensible efforts by Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater to introduce greater accountability into the way the state negotiates more than $50 billion in private sector contracts and grants has run into difficulty with Gov. Rick Scott and business lobbyists." "Sharper eye needed on state contracts".